Thomas f



(Model) 1 T. F. DARGY.

Reversible Center Plate for Furniture.

. No. 237,495. Patented Feb. 8,1881.

IIII

WITNESSES: I H

NPETE'IS. FMDTOLITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D. C;

UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

THOMAS F. DAROY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

REVERSIBLE CENTER PLATE FOR FURNITURE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 237495, dated February 8,. 1881.

Application filed October 21, 1880. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS F. DARcY, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Reversible Center Plates for Furniture, of which the following is a specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective view, showing my center plate applied to a chair. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the center plate, partly broken away to show the slotted plate, and showing the seat-frame in section. Fig. 3 is a sectional'side elevation of the pivotsupporting frame, showing a slotted plate, pivot, stirrup, and spring. Fig. 4 is a sectional end elevation of the pivot-supporting frame, a part of the center plate being shown. in section with the seatframe.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to furnish reversible center plates for furniture-such as the seats and backs of chairs and sofas, and the tops of tablesso constructed that the said center plates can be readily reversed within the surrounding frames, and will be firmly supported when in place.

The invention consists in the combination, with the center plate andits surroundingframe, having shoulders or rabbets to support the said plate, of the pivots, theplates having V-shaped slots, the stirrups, and the springs, to allow the center plate to be readily raised from its seat and reversed, as will be hereinafter fully described. I

I will describe the improvement as applied to the seat of a chair; but do not limit myself to that use, as it can also be, applied with advantage to the backs of chairs, the seats and backs of sofas, and the tops of tables.

A represents the frame of a chair. B is the. seat-frame, and G is the reversible center plate of the seat.

The plate 0 may be a solid plate or a plate or frame upholstered upon one or both sides. To the centers. of the side edges of the center plate, 0, are attached pivots D, which pass through V-shaped slots in the pairs of plates E, and are kept from longitudinal movement in the said plates by collars formed upon the said pivots. The plates E of each pair are connected and held at the proper distance apart by short rods, F, riveted or otherwise secured to the said plates.

The plates, frames, or boxes E F are secured in recesses formed to receive them in the side bars of the frame B. From each pivot D, be-

tween the plates E, is suspended a stirrup,

loop, or link, G, through the lower part of which passes or with it is connected an elastic cord or other spring, H, the ends of which are attached to the rods F.

The front and rear edges of the center plate, 0, when in position for use, rest upon plates 1, attached to or in rabbets formed in the front and rear bars of the frame B, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to be firmly supported in place. With this construction, when the center plate, 0, is to be reversed, either its front or rear edge is raised out of its seat and the said plateis moved toward its raised edge, causing the pivots D to pass up the arms of the slots and withdrawing the other edge of the said plate from its seat, so that the plate can be reversed. As the plate G comes again into a horizontal position the elasticity of thesprings H draws it into and holds it in its seat.

In the case of chair and sofa seats and backs, one side of the center plate, 0, can be upholstered in one style and the other side in another style, or one side can be upholstered and the other not, as may be desired.

In the case of tables, one side of the center plate of the top can be made ornamental and the other plain, or one side can be finished as an ordinary table and the other side as a cardtable and either side used, as may be required.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent In a reversible center plate, the combination, with the plate O and its surrounding frame B, having shoulders I, of the pivots D, the plates E, having V-shaped slots, the stirrups G, and the springs H, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the center plate can be readily raised from its seat and reversed, as set set forth.

THoMAs F. DAROY.

Witnesses J AMIES T. GRAHAM, O. SEDewIcK. 

